Movable jaw for a fullbody muppet costume?

[shoo]

I've been looking over several videos on youtube and scouting for pictures for advice, but apparently there's not a proper answer for this yet...

I am basically trying to make a FULLBODY muppet character's HEAD. In my case it's Cookie Monster's HEAD, WITH a movable jaw.

So yeah, I am basically wondering if you lot got any pointers on how I can make a MOVABLE JAW for my Cookie head. As you can see in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DnfcnjiFPk - Cookie Monster's jaw is opening and closing with ease. But how?! Is it a combination of foam and fun foam, or? And what sort of mechnism must I use in order to make it movable? Are there perhaps other materials used for making his head?

Is the head attached to my chin somehow or do I have straps going around my head that are connected to the head's foam, or?

It seems like making a movable jaw for Cookie Monster is different than to a regular animal/fursuit, hence why I am posting this thread.

Any ideas anyone?

Would it perhaps be something like this: http://www.therpf.com/f9/sesame-street-puppets-68715/index3.html - or?

ANY pointers and help is greatly appriciated!

 

[Animal31]

That link is for a puppet head, I think you are on the right track in regards to the chin strap you mentioned. If you look around, there is another thread which I believe talks about what you are trying to accomplish.....

Good Luck!

 

[Melonpool]

It looks to me like these are radio-controlled. They're way too in-synch with each other to be up to the individual performers. Also, if you look at them, they never open and close their mouths any differently (larger or smaller movements). They seem to all be either open or closed.

 

[Animal31]

I think a few of the older muppet ones were actually hinged and just swung up and down when not in closeups? Pufnstuf was much the same way.......

 

[MuppetLabsBoy]

Yeah, I think that Melonpool is right and that these are radio controlled mechanisms. Their hands/arms are moving too much to have a Big Bird like string and operate the arms w/one hand & the mouth with the other. They also keep every mouth movement consistent; no variety in the amount that the mouth opens when they sing a long bar. Try doing the chin strap. I suggest building the whole head on a bicycle helmet...It snaps onto your head and doesn't move up/down when you open up your mouth.

-MLB

 

[shoo]

Whut? You mean that their mouths are radio controlled...? Does not make any sense really.

I think a chin strap would work out nicely, yes.

Sounds a really good idea to make the head out from a bicycle helmet, but the question is HOW i can do THAT... hmm...

 

[jcnegron]

Once I met one of the performers in the show, never occur to me to ask him how they move their mouths, but as he was telling me that he was really a dancer, and that's the profile they search when hiring this kind of performers, I will agree with the about comments that mouths are synchronized with the audio tracks by means of some remote control.

 

[fragglerockr]

Whut? You mean that their mouths are radio controlled...? Does not make any sense really.

Shoo,

Actually, it does make lots of sense. The mouths are radio controlled by another performer from the tech booth, much the same way an r.c. car is controlled. The performers in the costume merely mime the actions and dance. You can look it up online.

Fragglerockr

 

[TheCreatureWork]

Jcnegron is correct. The mouths are all mechanically sync'd with the audio track. In the old days this was accomplished by placing high frequency "pitches" on the audio track on tape. Nowadays I believe it is computerized. This allows the performers who are the actual characters to focus on dancing and their overall performance. I can't see them having a second person to perform remotely as they would not only have to pay a second person but house etc. when on the road touring. So I believe it is all done through computer. BTW it makes perfect sense, not only financially but for the performance as well.

 

[nettleface]

I think a few of the older muppet ones were actually hinged and just swung up and down when not in closeups? Pufnstuf was much the same way.......

This sounds about right, it's quite a nice easy way to get movement into the jaw. Barney and friends stage show use this for most of the characters allowing them to chatter away as they jump about the place. The jaw is attached to the head with a very free moving pivot with as little resistance as possible and bungee cord (either at each side of the jaw or from the centre of the mouth) gives you the bounce.

Or if you want a pretty grim method you could use a bite bar where the performer holds a padded bar in their mouth, which is attached to the jaw, and moves their head up and down to make the character talk. Hopefully not many costumes use this now!